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T-Mobile Shadow II to support HotSpot@Home?
We've seen the HTC-sourced T-Mobile Shadow II peeking out from around the dark corners of eBay and the harsh lights of the FCC, but the latest word is that the WinMo slider will also come equipped with UMA, allowing it to work with HotSpot@Home. That's a first for an HTC handset and a first for Windows Mobile, but before you get all excited, check the source of those whispers: "market sources" quoted by Digitimes. Yeah, we'll believe it when we see it.
T-Mobile adds Nokia 6301 and Samsung t339 to HotSpot @Home stable
The 3G handset selection is still tres weak down on America's number four, but it's not all gloom and doom -- things are looking considerably brighter on the WiFi end of T-Mob's tech spectrum. The carrier has announced today that it is adding the Samsung t339 flip and Nokia's stainless steel 6301 candybar (unbranded version shown) in support of its HotSpot @Home UMA calling action, and while neither device comes as a surprise, the 6301 should end up generating at least a little buzz as the first candybar dumbphone on T-Mob to pony up the 802.11 sauce. Notably, it also features a QVGA display, reasonably decent 2 megapixel cam, and integrated FM radio -- all told, a far cry from the HotSpot @Home lineup's humble roots in the Nokia 6086 and Samsung t409. Both new models are available starting today.
Rogers launches BlackBerry 8820, expects no rah, rah, sis boom bah
Rogers has seen fit to add yet another 'Berry to its collection, we give you the BlackBerry 8820. This sorta winsome device packs everything you know and love about the 8800 into a strikingly familiar package -- OK, identical -- package and adds WiFi for the Rogers Home Calling Zone UMA service. Excited about finally having some WiFi for all that web wandering you're doing during coffee break or while chilling at the water cooler? No need to be, like the recently announced BlackBerry 8120, the WiFi here only plays with the UMA service. Of course, it could well come with an OS refresh, so that might make a few smile, but other than that we think putting your money back in your pocket's the way to go. Pricing is set at $349 on 3 years with voice and data, $449 on a straight 3-year, and $499 (ouch!) on 2. Seriously Rogers, until you can release a half decent data plan -- iPhone data plan aside -- don't you think your loyal following deserve a little wireless break?
Rogers loves BlackBerry: Pink Curve, OS 4.5, and BlackBerry Bold oh my!
Rogers seems on a roll with it's good friends at RIM as we're seeing a bevy of release news and noteworthy stuff from them recently. Up at bat are the potential launch of the BlackBerry Bold on June 17th, the UMA-enabled Pearl 8120 that ships with OS 4.5, and the BlackBerry Curve in a new, pinker flavor. Pricing on the UMA-enabled 8120 is set at $149 on three years and while it does tout WiFi for the Rogers Home Zone, it won't work to get you on the Internet -- can we get a rousing raspberry for Rogers? The BlackBerry Curve 8310 is unchanged except for its new, softer pink aesthetic and is shipping for $199 if you're up to a 3-year stint on Canada's only GSM network. Not much new on the Bold, though we expect if that launch date is solid, we'll hear more real soon.[Thanks, Treatz for the lovely pic]
Details emerge on T-Mobile's upcoming Samsung and Nokia releases
We're still kinda weirded out by that figure of six-frickin'-teen new handsets for T-Mob between now and August, but details on five of those alleged sixteen is a solid start. Boy Genius Report has scored internal release information on three Nokias and two well-known Samsungs, the t229 and t339. Starting with the Sammies, the t229 will be launching in red (and red only) to shore up the low end with what seems to be a VGA camera, Bluetooth, and not much else, while the t339 will offer WiFi for HotSpot@Home compatibility and a 1.3 megapixel cam; both will be available in June. On the Nokia side, the XpressMusic 5610 slider (which we've seen in T-Mobile trim courtesy of the FCC) will be joining the just-announced 5310, though the carrier has yet to determine a launch window for this one. The forgettable 2760 clam launches on June 16 -- nothing more to be said about that one -- and finally, the 6301 with WiFi gets real on June 23. We're holding out for the new Shadows, but yeah, it seems like a fun time to be a T-Mobile customer -- particularly if you're into the UMA stuff.
T-Mobile launches WiFi-laden BlackBerry Pearl 8120, we handle it
The next episode of the ubiquitous Pearl is now available in T-Mobile stores across the land, bringing the spec sheet in line with the features Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T customers have been enjoying for a little while now -- a 2 megapixel camera, external microSD slot, and 3.5mm headphone jack, just to name a few. Unlike the 8130 for CDMA networks, the 8120 that T-Mobile and AT&T share adds a 802.11b/g radio, but the T-Mobile version packs yet a couple more tricks up its sleeve -- you know, the ones you'd probably expect of any modern T-Mobile phone with WiFi, namely support for myFaves and HotSpot@Home. That last bit about the WiFi calling is where it gets really interesting. Put simply, the experience we had setting up, using, and making calls with the new Pearl linked up to our router was the best we've had so far with any HotSpot@Home device; it definitely seems like T-Mobile and RIM are learning a thing or two about how to make this a truly seamless and painless process. A "UMA" indicator on the display lets you know that calls are being routed over the service, but if you're not paying attention to it, you might never know it's happening -- it's just that good. Grab it starting today for a shade under $150 on contract, or if you'd prefer to keep your money firmly in your pocket, you can still live vicariously through our gallery here!%Gallery-20499%
Samsung's t339 for T-Mobile: yep, it does HotSpot@Home
Thanks to a few BlackBerrys, we can keep our standard "there aren't any HotSpot@Home-compatible smartphones!" argument to a minimum here, but still -- you've gotta admit that T-Mobile's seriously going overboard with the midrange WiFi handsets. It looks like the upcoming t339 flip will be yet another, thanks to FCC documentation showing the presence of 802.11 aboard its thin, brownish shell. For what it's worth, this could end up being the sexiest HotSpot@Home dumbphone yet (we're not huge fans of the Katalyst's look, we admit), but still, guys, give us an N95 or something. Please. No release date here yet, but we'll keep y'all in the loop.[Via phoneArena]
Rogers pondering a UMA service called "Home Calling Zone"?
Well this is fun, apparently Rogers Wireless -- and likely FIDO -- is set to offer a UMA service (to bridge their GSM network with your home network) come May this year. Purportedly dubbed the Rogers Home Calling Zone, the service would roll out to consumer customers -- no mention in the "news" about Business, yet -- for $15 a month for local calling and $20 for unlimited long distance in Canada. The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 and a lower-end Nokia handset are apparently the launch handsets for the service -- if it proves true, and we think it likely will. You can expect more news once we get it, of course.
T-Mobile's BlackBerry Pearl 8120 spotted in the wild
Fresh off an announcement for an April 14th release, the latest rendition of the Pearl for T-Mobile -- the WiFi-enabled 8120 -- is strutting its stuff in its natural (somewhat natural, anyway) habitat. Casual observers would have an awfully tricky time telling this apart from the Pearl 8100 of yore, but the trained eye will notice a "WiFi" logo chilling on the display and a mildly revised keypad layout here. Probably just a matter of time before T-Mobile has these bad boys in every color of the rainbow, we imagine.
Up close with Dell's Latitude E4300 and E4200 ultra-portables with DisplayPort
Ultra-portables are by the far the sexiest class of laptops. Especially when they start at just 2.2-pounds (1kg) like Dell's upcoming 12.1-inch E4200 or 3-pounds for the 13.3-inch E4300. Both pack LED backlit displays; Centrino 2 chipsets; Firewire, eSATA, 2x audio, ExpressCard 34, and at least 2x USB ports; integrated UMA graphics; DDR3 800MHz with Intel Turbo Memory 2.0; DisplayPort; and a host of security features to keep corporate IT types happy. The E4300 differs with a higher WXGA+ resolution, modular optical bay, peppier CPU options, and a choice of beefier hard disk drives instead of the 32GB or 64GB SSD restriction of the E4200. Plenty more in the gallery including a head-to-head comparison's of each new model with the D430 they'll replace. Stay tuned as our exclusive Week o' Dell Scoops continues.%Gallery-18897%
T-Mobile trials HotSpot @Home Talk Forever Home Phone in Seattle, Dallas
Well, goodness, try saying that five times fast. T-Mobile has officially unveiled its rather longwinded "HotSpot @Home Talk Forever Home Phone" plan add-on for folks that aren't quite ready to put their landlines out to pasture quite yet, though there's a catch: much like the original, it's beginning life as a trial in just a couple of test markets. Lucky folks in Seattle and Dallas will be able to march into their local T-Mobile outlet and pick up the long-rumored WRTU54G for $49.99 on contract, at which point $10 a month tacked onto their T-Mobile bill will allow them to jack in their old-school landline phones and get unlimited domestic calling. In the event they need a landline phone (o rly?) or are looking to upgrade their 70's vintage AT&T Slimline, stores will also be offering this lovely DECT system from VTech to complete the package. There's no word just yet on when we might see the hardware outside the test markets, but with landline popularity waning the way it is, we'd suggest they get a move on.
T-Mobile's HotSpot @Home Talk Forever: same service, lower price
Don't get us wrong, it's great that T-Mobile has lowered the price of its unlimited WiFi calling service both at home and at T-Mobile Hotspots everywhere from $19.99 down to $9.99 per month (forgetting for a moment that it was $9.99 per month as an introductory price, anyway), but in changing the name from HotSpot @Home to HotSpot @Home Talk Forever, we'd been hoping for something just a little more compelling. Previous intel had indicated that we'd be seeing the introduction of T-Mobile's first SIM-sporting routers, allowing the use of traditional landline phones in conjunction with the service -- but at this point, it looks like it's going to be at least a little longer before the hardware launches, and it's unclear whether there'll be yet more trademarked service branding introduced when it does.
T-Mobile adding BlackBerry 8820 with WiFi next month?
We're hearing rumblings that T-Mobile's going to drop a WiFi-enabled version of the BlackBerry 8800 -- better known in the public vernacular as the 8820 -- on March 5th. Yeah, it's just a rumor at this point, but the move would make total sense for several reasons: one, the 8820 already exists so RIM doesn't need to do any custom magic for T-Mobile; two, T-Mobile already sells the 8800; three, the 8800's little brother, the Curve, is already sold in WiFi form on the carrier; and four, Hotspot@Home could always use another compatible handset or three. We'll find out in a few weeks -- but in the meantime, we might suggest holding off on that 8800 purchase.[Thanks, T]
The Samsung Katalyst, T-Mobile's latest Hotspot @Home phone
The rumored t739 Katalyst from Samsung has gotten official today for T-Mobile, shoring up a Hotspot @Home lineup that presently features the lowly Nokia 6086 down in the basement and the BlackBerry Curve 8320 up top. The t739 is the first slider certified for T-Mobile's WiFi-enabled calling service, giving it an instant dose of street cred among folks that love the UMA concept but can't stand clamshells. In fact, with a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and a 220 x 176 display, the Katalyst is essentially a slider rendition of the t409 with the addition of a microSD slot. Yeah, we'd still like to see a little more meat in the lineup -- a 3.2 megapixel camera and 3G would get us to shut up, just as a fr'instance -- but in the meantime, we're always happy for a little choice of form factor. Grab it for a penny shy of $80 on a two-year contract.
Samsung's SGH-P180 does UMA on the cheap for Orange
Low-end UMA handset? Yeah, we know a thing or two about those 'round here. For whatever reason (fancy-shmancy market research, we suppose) carrier and manufacturers seem to be concentrating their UMA development on cheaper phones, and Samsung's SGH-P180 for Orange France's Ubik service is no different. Features include a 160 x 128 display, EDGE data, a totally bangin' VGA camera, and that's about it -- so unless you're in France, you dig WiFi / GSM handoffs, and you don't mind scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel, you can probably stop worry about this model as soon as you're done with this post.[Via Unwired View]
The Samsung Katalyst: T-Mobile's next @Home handset?
As cool as T-Mobile's HotSpot @Home service may be, it's been hampered so far by a pretty milquetoast phone lineup -- BlackBerry Curve notably excepted, of course. It looks like Samsung's t739 "Katalyst" is getting groomed to fill the rather substantial gap between @Home's t409 and Nokia 6086 flips and the Curve on the high end, featuring a music player, Bluetooth (which hopefully doesn't self-destruct in mortal conflict with the integrated WiFi), EDGE data, and a 1.3 megapixel cam with video capture in a slider form factor -- an @Home first. Mobiledia likes it for the fourth quarter (and we're hearing December 3, to be specific), so folks looking to take the leap into UMA might want to hold tight for just one hot minute to see whether this thing actually materializes in the next few weeks.[Thanks, Frank A.]
Another look at the BlackBerry 8320 for T-Mobile
In the world of mobile email, it's hard to compete with RIM and the plethora of BlackBerry devices it has to offer. With BlackBerry's latest smartphone for T-Mobile, the Curve 8320, the companies hope to capitalize by taking advantage of RIM's infrastructure, T-Mobile's wireless calling plans, and the undeniable benefit of adding a little WiFi into the mix. Does the device live up to the hype? Did RIM make a mistake when it outfitted the Curve with a small processor and WiFi? Continue reading on to find out.
T-Mobile announces BlackBerry Curve with WiFi, we check it out
RIM decided (and we tend to agree) that it could improve upon the already solid BlackBerry 8300 Curve by adding GPS or WiFi -- carrier's choice -- in the form of the 8310 and 8320, respectively. T-Mobile has announced today the release of the 8320 variant, offering @Home branded UMA service and speedy data to supplement T-Mobile's EDGE network (in hotspot range, anyway) in your choice of "titanium" and carrier-exclusive "pale gold." We've had a few minutes to play around with the champagne hued version, and with WiFi added into the Curve's already solid mix, it pretty much goes without saying that this is the best BlackBerry yet. Setting up our wireless network on the Curve was a breeze, though we had some trouble keeping calls from dropping over an Airport Extreme; fortunately, T-Mobile's offering up optimized Linksys routers for a song, and you can always set it up as a separate network if you can't bear to tear down your 802.11a/n setup. We've heard some intermittent reports of Curves starting to show up in retail locations, but we can expect them to start shipping everywhere in early October. In the meantime, check out our hands-on gallery!Update: T-Mobile's bumped the release date up to today -- no complaints here -- at an on-contract price of $249.%Gallery-7728%
Nokia's 6301 UMA candybar hitting Europe in Q4
Helloooo convergence. Let's all take a moment to welcome Nokia's latest UMA handset to offer seamless voice and data mobility across GSM and WiFi networks. As such, Nokia's 6301 is an all-in-one, landline/cellphone solution be you at home or out and about. Unfortunately for some, home is defined as "select markets in European" for this tri-band candybar with up to 3.5-hours of talk time, 2-inch QVGA display, microSD expansion, 2 megapixel camera, MP3 player and FM radio, and integrated hands-free speaker. Hitting Orange's Unik/Unique service in Q4 of 2007 for an estimated pre-tax, pre-subsidized price of €230.%Gallery-7619%
Samsung's SGH-P520 gets photographed
Shortly after learning that Samsung's touchscreen-based SGH-P520 was slightly more than a figment of our imagination, a foreign site has seemingly sat down with oodles of time and snapped more images than you're likely to look at. Still, this oh-so-thin mobile has the sex appeal nailed down solid, so be sure and take a closer look at all the curves awaiting you after the break.[Via Slashphone]